Independent Games festival

The Game Developers Conference organizes the Independent Games festival (IGF) annually since 1999, in order to distinguish innovative plays, which were developed by independent play developers or pupils and students. The IGF was created, inspired 1998 by the Gama network by the Sundance film festival.

The festival divides itself in two Events: the IGF Competition, a match between independent plays with prices in the value to $15,000 and a Showcase for plays, which were developed by pupil and student.

Since 2004 the IGF Competition is divided into 2 categories: for Web-based plays (smaller than 15 MT on the one hand, and in an open category for all other plays on the other hand. In each category six prices are lent: Seumas McNally Grand Prize, technical perfection, innovative diagram, innovative sound, innovative Game Design as well as a public price. The Grand Prize is endowed with $15.000 prize money, all different with in each case $1.000.

With the Showcase for pupils and students from the participants 10 plays are selected, which are presented on the next Game Developers Conference of the professional world.